Non-native and invasive plant species are invading our native habitat and open spaces. They aggressively compete with our native plants for resources and spreads rapidly once established. Monitoring, management, and removal of these plant species is an important aspect of land management and habitat restoration.

Help us to manage populations of invasive plants and remove them from the habitat. No previous experience is necessary, just a desire to work outside and get dirty! Snake chaps, gloves, and tools will be provided but please feel free to bring your own if you have them. Please wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, close toed shoes, and protective sun protection. Note: This is a wilderness area, there are natural hazards. Snakes, including rattlesnakes, are occasionally seen here.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land.

Learn more and register here.

Ready for a workout? Forget the gym for the day and head outside! Join us for an exhilarating morning fitness hike on the paved Hicks Haul Road in OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. This hike allows you to choose between a 3, 6, or 8 mile route, all of which are conducted at the speed of about 3.0 to 3.5 miles per hour. The footing on the asphalt paved road is smoother than dirt roads and single track trails normally found in Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, but is beginning to show its age with cracks, crevices and an occasional dip. Otherwise, the terrain is smooth, so this is a great walk for anyone who wants a “wilderness experience” without getting dirty! The 6 and 8 mile routes experience two fairly steep ascents and descents. The 3 mile route takes you to the top of Loma Ridge and back down. Along the way, you will have sweeping views of much of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains. Various animals, like hawks, deer, and lizards are also frequently seen in this area.

Participants should be confident in their ability to hike 3, 6, or 8 miles at a steady pace. Please come prepared with proper hiking attire, ample water and adequate sun protection. Because of the paved surface, you may wear walking or running shoes instead of hiking boots. For the longer distances, at least 2 quarts of water (64 oz) is recommended. Ages 16 and up.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Learn more and register here.

Be prepared to experience the beauty and wonder of Weir Canyon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, steeped in history and lore, on this morning equestrian ride. The ride will travel through Weir Canyon, where the trail weaves its way through a beautiful oak woodland inhabited by deer, coyote, bobcat, and many different birds. You will travel the route of the Butterfield Stage and see a monument dedicated to the Mexican ox cart drivers. If time permits, we will climb to the Two Tower vista point to look at distant views. This ride travels on wide trails with several easy to moderate climbs. Equestrians who have trail riding experience and their own fit and able horse are welcome. You will need to transport your horse to the staging area. Owners of unshod horses, please note that footing will include areas of gravel and distances over asphalt pavement. Please bring water on the ride.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Learn more and register here.

We start our ride through OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space on the paved Hicks Haul Road, the extension of Jeffrey Rd north of Portola Pkwy. As we warm up on the climb to the top of the road, we enjoy increasingly beautiful views over Irvine. We then follow Loma Ridge to the East, with fantastic vistas of Orange County, the surrounding wildlands, and even Catalina Island on clear days. From Loma Ridge, we descend on a single track to Box Springs which provides year-round water for wildlife like deer.

After the springs, we continue to the Sinks, Orange County’s own “Grand Canyon,” where we enjoy our snacks during a short break. On our way back, we ride along Limestone Ridge, a fun singletrack that leads us towards the Augustine Staging area, enjoying views of Saddleback and Santiago Canyon. From there we will climb back up to Loma Ridge, and then coast back down on the paved Hicks Haul Road to our starting point. Motorized recreation vehicles of any class or type are not permitted for use in the Nature Preserve.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-4 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Learn more and register here.

Join us Sunday morning in OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space for a fitness-focused hike on the Hicks Haul Road, West Loma and Shoestring trails in Limestone Canyon. Hikers will enjoy wonderful views and a panoramic overview of Orange County. The hike starts at Hicks Haul Road staging area and will cover a distance of 8.25 miles, about 5 miles of the hike is on paved surface and rest on trails. Participants are expected to hike close to 3.5 miles per hour and come prepared with closed toe hiking boots or shoes, water, trail snacks, sunscreen, hat, day pack or fanny pack, and any other necessary equipment or supplies you might need to keep you safe on this hike.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-4 activity on the land. To learn more about the staging areas and activity locations, please visit our Staging Areas Playlist page.

Learn more and register here.

Enjoy an afternoon family hike in Agua Chinon, part of OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space. We hike a gradual climb of 500 ft elevation as we watch for red-tailed hawks and mule deer.  This activity originates in the City of Irvine and travels into Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. The hike will average 3 miles round trip at an easy pace with a medium level of interpretation. This program is for participants who would enjoy a slower-paced gradual climb hike. Hikers should be in good health able to do a beginning hike over a variety of terrains. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water for the hike. Be ready to enjoy the sounds and smells of early evening.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Strollers or all terrain wagons are not permitted.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Learn more and register here.

There are critters in your backyard: big ones, little ones, furry ones, ones with feathers, and ones with scales. They go about their business and pay little attention to you. In fact, they would rather not be bothered unless you were a tempting morsel of food. Round Canyon is teeming with wildlife, and waiting for you to experience the solitary bobcat, the elusive ring-tailed cat, the mighty great horned owl, and playful ground squirrels, among many others.

The hike will average 2-3 miles round-trip at an easy pace with lots of discussion about wildlife along the way. This program is for participants who would like a slower-paced hike. Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes and bring water for the hike.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Understanding the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings system will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land. To learn more about the staging areas and activity locations, please visit our Staging Areas Playlist page.

Learn more and register here.

Registration for this event is not required, nor does it guarantee entry. Registration is available on the website for those needing a map/driving directions to OC Public Library’s Library of the Canyons. The staging area will be available for parking on a first come, first served basis for arrival anytime between 8:30 am and 12:00 pm. Trails close at 1:00 pm. You will not be required to sign-in upon arrival.

Mesa Loop Exploration Day offers 2.5 miles of self-guided access along the Mesa Loop, which offers a panoramic view of Black Star Canyon, Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, and Cleveland National Forest. Begin your travels through the shaded Nature Loop Trail near the library, ideal for families. A 300-foot elevation gain takes you to panoramic vistas of Irvine Lake, Silverado Canyon, and the beauty of the Santa Ana Mountains as you reach the top of the Mesa. 

Enjoying the Day

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following protective measures during the activity in order to participate:

• Participants are required to stay on designated trails at all times.  Reminder: The Mesa trail system has rare and sensitive habitat. Your responsible behavior helps ensure continued access. This area is characterized by certain inherent dangers including mountain lions, rattlesnakes, poisonous insects, poison oak, ticks, extremes in weather, loose rocks, and steep/rugged and uneven terrain. Your safety cannot be guaranteed.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including plenty of water, proper attire to protect you from the sun and inclement weather, closed-toe footwear, first aid, medications, hand sanitizer, etc. Please see Trail Tips on the Lets Go Outside website for more tips. The map can be found here.
• The Library of the Canyons will offer a fun craft, free seed packets from the seed library, browse local wildlife books, and remember to pick up your hiking sticker!
• Multi-use trail etiquette: Please remember that bikers yield to hikers when sharing the trails. Click here for more trail tips.

Other Important Notes:

•  
  • OC Parks Rangers require all trails to be cleared for closure by 1:00 pm
  • No new trail users will be permitted onto the trails beginning one hour prior to closing.
  • Dogs are prohibited on the Irvine Ranch Open Space. By nature, dogs are predators; their presence and their lingering scent disturb the indigenous wildlife and disrupt vital routines long after a dog has left the area.
  • Minors, ages 17 and under, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
  • Adult mountain bikers are requested to wear helmets. Minors are required to wear helmets per state law.
  • Inclement weather or fire danger will cause the program to be cancelled.
  • To minimize the human impact on wildlife and their habitat, there may be unannounced trail closures or the rotation of areas being open and closed. This is an adaptive management approach to accommodate both the human users and the wildlife needs.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land.

Learn more about the Canyons Staging Area

Join us for an extremely challenging and strenuous hiking adventure in the scenic Fremont Canyon Wilderness Area. This 16-mile loop hike is for experienced, physically fit distance hikers. The hike is on fire/SCE dirt roads with numerous significantly steep, unrelenting climbs and descents. We hike the entire rim of Fremont Canyon, passing by an abandoned coal mine, the Fremont Weather Station and the remnants of a rare stand of Tecate cypress. Along the way we’ll have sweeping views of Orange County, the Santa Ana Mountains and surrounding mountain ranges.

There is minimal to no shade on the route.  Please bring a minimum of 100 oz. water and trail snacks. Come prepared with a pack, sturdy closed-toe hiking shoes or boots, sunscreen, first aid, and all other supplies to keep you safe and healthy on the trail for the full-day hike in this remote wilderness area. Each participant must carry his or her own sturdy pack and must be comfortable maintaining an average moving pace of 3 miles per hour for the duration of this difficult hike. Under-prepared participants may be denied access to this activity.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

To learn more about the staging areas and activity locations, please visit our Staging Areas Playlist page.

Learn more and register here.

Take a leisurely ride on beautiful Hall Canyon and Helo trail in the Black Star Wilderness Area, home of oak woodlands, grasslands, and coastal sage scrub. View evidence of the old ranch days when cattle once roamed the area and see wildflowers that are native to our area. You will see amazing views of the local canyons and red rock. Evidence of a more recent use of the land is an area used for helicopter landings and a large metal ball and chain the military and OC Fire departments used for training.

Equestrians who have trail riding experience, and their own fit and able horse are welcome. You will need to transport your horse to the staging area. Owners of unshod horses, please note that footing will include areas of gravel, rocky creek areas.

Please note that you will be asked to adhere to the following measures in order to participate:

• Be registered in advance, no walk-up registration is permitted.
• Arrive with all necessary equipment to keep you safe on the trail, including water, proper attire, and closed-toe footwear, first aid, health needs etc.
• You are welcome to arrive 30 minutes prior to listed departure time to ready your horse.
• We will be contacting you for trailer details so we can give you direction on where to park it.
• Restrooms will be available, but facilities will not be sanitized for each individual.
• All participants are required to sign a liability waiver upon arrival at the staging area and before beginning the activity. The waiver can be previewed here: IRC Liability Waiver
• You may be prevented from participating if you do not adhere to the above protocols.

Additionally, in an effort to respect and protect all employees, volunteers, and participants, please do not sign up or attend if you are not feeling well, exhibiting any symptoms of illness or have been in recent contact with someone who was ill.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land. Please visit our FAQ page for answers to activity specific questions you may have prior to registering.

Learn more and register here.